Gokudera wakes up on a cot with airport security standing over him.
"Hey kid? You alright?"
Gokudera places his hand against his head, groaning.
"Where am I?"
"At the airport. Do you remember what happened to you."
Gokudera looks at the guard, confused, for a second before the previous night came flooding back.
"Fuck! Aydan!"
Gokudera jumps off of the cot and runs out of the airport, ignoring the guards' protest.
"Why the fuck did she do that! I was just trying to help her and she fucking beat me up!" Gokudera sprints towards his apartment."Damn it, Aydan! Don't you know I-" Gokudera slid to a stop at the sudden realization, he loved Phoenix. He loved her with every fiber of his being. "Jesus Christ...I...I love her...and she's going to be tortured to death! Tch, I gotta save her!" Gokudera took back up his run, realizing the full extent of his feelings for Phoenix. They were strong, strong enough that the very thought of her giving herself up for him...he couldn't stand it. "She said that she wasn't going to Reaper until Friday, I still have time to convince her to come back!" Gokudera bursts into his apartment and instantly starts looking for the small black phone Phoenix had left him. "Come on, come on! Where'd I leave it!" Gokudera finally locates the phone and flips it open, his finger over the redial button. "What do I say? Do I tell her...? She already told me how she felt...she might just think it's a ploy to get her to come back." The green-eyed teen ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Goddamn it! Screw it."
Gokudera takes a deep breath to steady himself and presses the button.
"Come on...pick up..."
Gokudera hears the click of Phoenix's phone being picked up and his heart skips a beat when Phoenix answers, anger coloring her words. Despite this, Gokudera could tell she was tired, and he mentally berated himself for forgetting the different times zones.
"Who the hell is calling me this fucking early...If this is a prank call you better fucking hide 'cause I just got off a ridiculously long flight and am not in the mood to-"
Gokudera interrupts her.
"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT! I wake up and realize it's the next fucking day and you LEFT!"
"Hayato?"
Gokudera can hear her move around and he clenches his fist, trying to control his emotions.
"I didn't...I can't believe you're really gone..." Gokudera takes a deep breath, it was harder than he thought it would be not to tell her how he felt. "Come back, damn it!"
"I can't, Hayato! And you told me the only way you would let me go was if I killed you or knocked you out..." Phoenix pauses. "Did you spend the whole night at the airport?"
"OF FUCKING COURSE I STAYED AT THE AIRPORT THE WHOLE NIGHT! I just woke up and you...tch." Gokudera takes a deep breath. "I don't give a fuck if that's what I said! You couldn't leave. But now that just doesn't matter 'cause you have to come back!"
Phoenix finally snaps.
"I AM NOT COMING BACK! Get that through your thick skull, Hayato! I am in Chicago and come Friday I will be going to Reaper and holding up my end of the deal." Phoenix sighs. "And the best thing you can do right now is forget about me. Just, please...have a good life."
"But I...Fuck. I can't just forget about you Aydan. You're like...the coolest person I've met in a while. Not including Juudaime, of course." Gokudera bites his lip 'Fuck! Why did I say that!' He sighs and moves on. "But...damn it, stop being such a bitch and just come back."
There is silence on the other end of the phone and Gokudera listens to the sound of Phoenix breathing for a few moments.
"...I'm not cool, Hayato. I'm one of the most messed up people on the planet, I can barely keep myself together. Please, just stop asking me to come back. I am not going back to Japan because I am staying in Chicago and the only way I'll ever come back to Japan is if I am dragged there by Reaper to watch him fight you and your family."
"I don't give a fuck if you're messed up, Aydan." Gokudera was aware of his voice taking on a softer tone. "Everyone's fucked up in their own way. You're just the better of most of them in my opinion."
"Hayato, you barely even know me!" Phoenix's words come quickly now, as if she can't stop them. "The first time I killed someone was when I was seven years old. I have been stealing things since I was six, and I only ever did as I was told when Reaper told me to stand down. I started taking drugs when I was eight and didn't quit until last year, and the only reason I did quit because I overdosed and died for twelve minutes. I am a sixteen-year-old alcoholic who spends every single day pacing around my apartment staring at the police report of my family's murder trying to find the bastards that did it. And I...I..." Gokudera hears the tears in Phoenix's voice and feels a physical pain because of it. "I let my little brother die. I am not cool. I am at best insane and at worst a sociopath. Let me go, you cannot save me."
Gokudera sighs.
"I would smack you if I could. Didn't you listen to me? I don't give a FUCK. Who you were before has nothing to do with who you are now. You're an alcoholic? Well fuck, I basically am too. You took drugs? So what? You are who you are right now, and that's all that matters for me. And your brother's death wasn't your fault. You were 5 for fucks sake! Stop being so hard on yourself."
"Hayato, you could never understand this. Just. Let. Me. Go. It's too late to save me so just focus on keeping Tsuna safe, and leave me alone."
"It's not too late damn it! Why won't you let me at least HELP you! It's so fucking FRUSTRATING!"
"Because you can't help me! You never could." Phoenix's voice breaks. "Just leave me alone, Hayato. I just want to spend the next few days with my pets and my family."
"You're a coward." Gokudera feels his temper go and his rational side try to reel it in but fails. "That's all you are. I bet all you wanna do is just die. Well you know what? I'm done. I'm done trying to help you and shit. Fuck you!"
Phoenix is quiet for a second.
"You're right, I do want to die. I've wanted to die since the day my family died. But I never wanted to die like this...Not in a million years."
Before Gokudera can respond Phoenix hangs up.
"No! Fuck! Wait!" Gokudera calls Phoenix again but she doesn't pick up. "Come on! At least let me apologize!" Gokudera calls Phoenix twice more before giving up. "I have to get her back...but she won't come back. Then I just have to drag her back, I need to go to Chicago. But how to get there...traditional flying will take too long, she'll be gone before I even get there...Damn it why wouldn't Reaper let her out of-Reaper!"
Gokudera quickly opens up the past call log on his phone and scrolls through it until he finds Reaper's number.
"Why Hayato, this is a surprise. If you're looking for Phoenix she's not here."
"I KNOW SHE'S NOT! You better give Phoenix back! She left when she knocked me out, but DAMN IT! JUST SEND HER BACK!"
"She knocked you out? And here I thought you were strong." Reaper chuckles. "I will not be sending her back. I would apologize but I really don't care."
"That woman just won't fucking listen to me!" Gokudera breathes deeply. "So how about we make a deal?"
"No new deals. I got what I wanted and soon you and your boss with be dead."
"COME ON! I'll do anything, I swear to God I will. Just trust me on this, please...let's make a deal."
"No deals kid. I have all the cards, why would I risk them for a child? Oh I thought you should know, I saw our little birdy yesterday and she seems to be fine...except for a few new bruises."
Gokudera grinds his teeth, an idea forming in his mind.
"I know you're just waiting to hurt her. But you're just a weak sick bastard. I can kick your ass any day."
Reaper chuckles.
"I am not weak, I believe that Phoenix beat you correct? We'll let me tell you that I am stronger than her. If you couldn't beat her, then you cannot beat me.
"Wanna bet?"
Reaper laughs and the sound sends shivers down Gokudera's spine.
"Are you trying to provoke me into a fight? Tell me how is your neck? I believe you took Phoenix's staff to your neck twice."
"My neck is fine, thank you very much." He says sarcastically. "But I can take you on any day!"
"Oh how wrong you are. I know all your moves Hayato. I could kill you in five seconds if I wanted."
"Yeah fucking right! I can have you on your ass in less time! I bet you wouldn't be able to lay a hand on me."
Reaper laughs again.
"If you want to fight me, seriously fight me, you should tell Phoenix that you love her. If you don't I may kill you on accident and then you will never get the chance."
Gokudera feels his cheeks heat up.
"I-I'M NOT GONNA ADMIT SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO EASILY! How about this: You beat me, I'll confess. I beat you, you let her go. How about it?"
"Interesting deal, Young Hayato. I'll consider it. From what you said...I take it that you do have feelings for our little birdy."
"I'm not telling you shit. Is that a yes or a no?"
Reaper sighs.
"So stubborn. Fine I'll take your deal on one condition."
"Name it."
"You have to tell our little birdy about it before we have our fight. Deal?
"About our fight? Seems doable."
"Good." Silence. "Well go on. Oh and once you're done, meet me at your school"
Reaper hangs up and Gokudera stares at the phone.
"I can do this. I can get her back."
Gokudera takes a breath and calls Phoenix, hoping that she picks up. She doesn't and he gets her answering machine.
"You've reached Aydan Lynch, I can't make it to the phone right now so leave me a message and I'll get back to you."
'She must have re-directed her cell to her home phone. She'd never put 'Aydan.' as her name on the cell.' Gokudera thinks as he takes another breath.
"Look, I know I said I'd leave you alone, but I was pretty much forced to let you know that Reaper and I are going to have a battle. Don't say shit either! You don't have the right to stop me. I'm doing this for you, so deal with it."
Before Gokudera can hang up he hears a click and Phoenix starts talking.
"I would rather not fight with you today, so I'm only going to say this once. Do not fight Reaper, you will lose and a lot of people will be saddened because of it. Just forget about me and live a good long life. Please."
"No can do. Just deal with it Aydan. I won't die, because there's something important I need to tell you. And I'll live to tell you. Got it?"
When Phoenix answers the confusion is clear in her voice.
"What do you have to...Nevermind. Hayato, I have lost everything I care about. I cannot bear to lose you as well. Especially not on Nicky's birthday. Just...don't do anything stupid, okay?"
Gokudera realizes that Phoenix has given up on her argument and he smiles.
"Don't worry. I'll live. You can count on it."
Phoenix sighs and Gokudera can almost hear a smile in her voice.
"Somehow your stupidity has ceased to surprise me. Just...stay safe...for me."
She hangs up before Gokudera can reply and Gokudera nods.
"I'm coming for you Aydan, just wait a little bit longer."